Visa and Immigration Compliance Officer
Department: Human Resources
Reporting to: HR Support Manager
Location: Manchester / UKMC Group locations
Employment Type: Full-time
Salary: Upto £32,000
Proposed Start Date: ASAP for a fixed term contract of 6 months
Working Pattern: 9am to 5pm / Monday to Friday, on-site
About UKMC and Unibridge Group
UK Management College (UKMC) and the wider Unibridge Group are committed to providing a high-quality educational experience supported by effective, reliable and secure systems and services.
At UK Management College, we aim to unlock infinite possibilities by nurturing every individual's potential, creating an inclusive environment where dreams become realities.
We strive for excellence in education by fostering an inspiring and inclusive environment through partnerships with universities, maximising the potential of our community to make meaningful contributions in their fields.
Job Purpose
The Visa & Immigration Compliance Officer is responsible for the day-to-day coordination and administration of the organisation's UK immigration, sponsor licence, Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), visa and right-to-work activities. The postholder will act as an internal subject-matter resource on sponsorship processes, maintain the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) and internal immigration records, and support the organisation in meeting its Home Office/UKVI sponsor duties.
The role requires practical experience of the SMS, Defined and Undefined CoS processes, Skilled Worker eligibility checks, occupation/SOC codes, salary and going-rate requirements, sponsor licence applications and ongoing licence management. The postholder will coordinate employee immigration cases and, where legally permitted and appropriately regulated or supervised, assist with or submit immigration applications on behalf of employees.
Working closely with HR, Talent Acquisition, senior management, employees, external immigration advisers and legal representatives, the postholder will establish robust processes, monitor compliance deadlines, prepare the organisation for UKVI audits or enquiries, and ensure immigration and right-to-work information held within the HRIS and sponsorship records remains accurate and current.
Key Responsibilities
Sponsorship Management System (SMS) & Certificate of Sponsorship
- Review sponsorship cases and advise the organisation’s authorised SMS Users and HR management on the appropriate action required within the Sponsorship Management System (SMS), in accordance with Home Office requirements.
- Prepare and coordinate the information and supporting documentation required for Defined CoS applications, Undefined CoS allocation requests and CoS assignments, and provide clear recommendations to the authorised SMS User responsible for completing the relevant action.
- Conduct pre-sponsorship eligibility assessments to determine whether a proposed role and individual meet the relevant sponsorship requirements, including reviewing the appropriate occupation/SOC code, job duties, salary, applicable going rate, working hours and other route-specific criteria.
- Review proposed Certificate of Sponsorship information before assignment, identifying any discrepancies or compliance concerns and advising the authorised SMS User and HR on any amendments required.
- Monitor the organisation’s CoS position, including available allocations, assigned and unused CoS, expiry dates and anticipated future requirements, and advise HR and authorised SMS Users where further allocations or action may be required.
- Identify employee or organisational changes that may trigger a Home Office/SMS reporting requirement, advise the appropriate SMS User of the action required and monitor the matter through to completion.
- Review sponsored-worker records and relevant organisational information to identify where SMS updates, sponsor notes or other Home Office notifications may be required.
- Provide guidance to authorised SMS Users regarding reportable changes, sponsorship deadlines and supporting evidence, ensuring recommendations are consistent with current Home Office sponsor guidance.
- Maintain an internal audit trail of sponsorship recommendations, approvals and completed SMS actions, enabling HR to demonstrate appropriate oversight and sponsor compliance.
Sponsor Licence Management & Home Office Compliance
• Support new sponsor licence applications, licence renewals, route additions and other sponsor licence applications or requests, including collating supporting evidence and completing relevant online/SMS processes.
• Maintain a sponsor licence compliance calendar covering reporting deadlines, visa expiries, CoS activity, right-to-work follow-ups, licence actions and other key Home Office deadlines.
• Monitor changes affecting sponsored workers, including job title, duties, salary, hours, work location, absence, employment status and termination, and determine whether an SMS report or other action is required.
• Maintain evidence required to demonstrate compliance with sponsor record-keeping, monitoring and reporting duties.
• Support preparation for UKVI compliance visits, audits, information requests and sponsor licence reviews, including maintaining audit-ready files and coordinating evidence from relevant departments.
• Undertake periodic internal sponsorship audits and identify gaps, risks or corrective actions to HR management and relevant senior stakeholders.
• Monitor changes to Home Office sponsor guidance, Immigration Rules and right-to-work requirements and translate relevant changes into internal procedures, checklists and communications.
Visa & Immigration Case Coordination
• Maintain working knowledge of common UK work and immigration routes relevant to the workforce, including Skilled Worker and other routes that may affect an individual's right to work or sponsorship position.
• Assess immigration documentation and case information to identify the appropriate internal process, key deadlines and when specialist legal advice is required.
• Coordinate visa extension, change-of-employment, switching and other immigration cases connected with employment and sponsorship.
• Where the organisation and individual adviser are legally authorised to provide immigration advice/services, assist with or prepare and submit straightforward employee visa applications and supporting documentation within the scope of that authorisation.
• Where regulated immigration advice is required outside the postholder's authorisation, refer the matter to an appropriately authorised IAA adviser, solicitor or other approved professional and coordinate the case internally.
• Liaise with employees, managers and external immigration advisers to obtain documents, track progress, respond to queries and ensure cases are progressed within required timescales.
• Support employees preparing for Home Office/UKVI interviews by explaining the process, helping them review their own application and supporting evidence, and coordinating appropriate professional advice where required. The role must never coach an individual to provide inaccurate or misleading information.
Right-to-Work Compliance
• Own and coordinate compliant right-to-work checking processes for new starters and existing workers, including online checks, share-code checks and follow-up checks where required.
• Ensure checks are completed at the correct stage and that evidence establishing the organisation's statutory excuse is retained in accordance with current requirements.
• Maintain accurate visa, immigration status, right-to-work expiry and follow-up dates within the HRIS and relevant compliance trackers.
• Monitor time-limited right-to-work permissions and proactively contact employees and HR stakeholders before follow-up checks or immigration action is required.
• Provide guidance to HR and Talent Acquisition on right-to-work documentation, restrictions on work and when a case should be escalated.
• Carry out regular HRIS/right-to-work audits and correct or escalate missing, inconsistent or expired records.
Internal Sponsorship Governance, Processes & Records
• Develop, document and maintain clear internal procedures for sponsorship requests, CoS approvals, visa extensions, right-to-work checks, reporting changes and escalation of immigration risks.
• Maintain a central sponsored-worker register containing relevant immigration, CoS, visa, role, salary, work-location, expiry and reporting information.
• Establish appropriate approval controls so that sponsorship and CoS decisions are documented, consistent and capable of audit.
• Maintain complete immigration case files and supporting evidence in line with Home Office requirements, organisational retention rules and UK GDPR/data-protection requirements.
• Produce regular management reports on sponsored workers, upcoming expiries, CoS usage, pending cases, compliance actions and identified risks.
• Coordinate with Payroll, HR, Talent Acquisition and managers to ensure employment information is consistent across contracts, HRIS records, payroll, CoS records and the SMS.
Employee, Manager & Stakeholder Support
• Act as the first internal point of contact for operational sponsorship, right-to-work and immigration process queries.
• Provide clear process guidance to employees and managers while recognising the boundary between general information/administration and regulated immigration advice.
• Deliver or coordinate briefings and training for HR, Talent Acquisition and managers on sponsor duties, right-to-work checks and relevant immigration compliance requirements.
• Maintain effective working relationships with external immigration advisers, solicitors, UKVI/Home Office contacts and other professional providers.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience in UK employer sponsorship, business immigration or immigration compliance, including practical knowledge of the Home Office Sponsorship Management System (SMS).
- Strong working knowledge of Skilled Worker sponsorship, including Defined and Undefined CoS processes, occupation/SOC codes, salary and going-rate requirements, sponsor duties and sponsored-worker reporting.
- Practical knowledge of Right to Work requirements, including initial and follow-up checks and maintaining compliant records.
- Experience maintaining sponsorship and immigration records, monitoring visa/CoS deadlines and supporting Home Office/UKVI audits or compliance activity.
- Ability to interpret Home Office guidance, identify compliance risks and translate requirements into practical HR processes.
- Strong organisational, analytical and communication skills, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple cases and deadlines.
- Experience using HR systems and Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
Qualifications / Professional Requirements
- Relevant training or qualification in UK immigration law, business immigration, sponsorship compliance, HR or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- IAA Level 1 (Immigration – Advice and Assistance) or other appropriate immigration/legal authorisation is desirable, particularly where the role involves providing regulated immigration advice or services.
- Evidence of up-to-date knowledge/training in UK immigration and sponsorship requirements.
Desirable
- Experience supporting sponsor licence applications, renewals, Home Office compliance visits or audits.
- Previous experience working with the SMS or advising authorised SMS users.
- Experience within education, a multi-site organisation or a high-volume environment.
- Familiarity with Employment Hero or a similar HRIS.
- CIPD Level 3 or above, or another relevant HR/compliance qualification.
Important Scope Note
This role combines sponsor compliance administration with immigration case coordination. Any activity that amounts to regulated immigration advice or services must only be undertaken where the organisation and the individual carrying out that work are legally authorised to do so, or where the work is performed under an appropriate authorised supervision arrangement. Complex, discretionary, refused or otherwise higher-risk immigration matters should be escalated to an appropriately authorised immigration professional.
